get down
verbUS, UK /ɡɛt ˈdaʊn/
16 senses
- 1To bring or come down; to descend; to cause to bring or…
- 2To swallow (something).
- 3To duck or take cover, usually to avoid harm. Commonly…
- 4To concentrate; attend.
- 5To depress; discourage; fatigue.
- 6To relax and enjoy oneself completely; be uninhibited in…
- 7To dance, particularly without inhibition or restraint…
- 8To party.
- 9To have sex.
- 10To leave the table after dining.
- 11To record, most often in writing.
- 12To criticise; to be strict towards.
- 13To use a drug, especially heroin.
- 14To do or perform well; to make happen; to make a serious…
- 15To bet on (something); to place bets; to gamble.
- 16Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see get, down.
1
To bring or come down; to descend; to cause to bring or come down.
- The kitten climbed the tree, but then couldn't get down again.
- Don't worry, I got the kitten down.
2
To swallow (something).
- The pill was so large that he couldn't get it down.
3
Informal To duck or take cover, usually to avoid harm. Commonly used as a caution or warning in the imperative.
- With bullets flying, all I could do was get down and pray.
4
To concentrate; attend.
- To get down to the matter at hand.
5
To depress; discourage; fatigue.
- Nothing gets me down so much as a rainy day.
- Everything gets me down until I figure out I have to shove it off again because it's important to be able to be depressed - to feel - but it's not what I'm alive for - feeling as bad as I usually do.1999, Jennifer Robin, Bouzi, page 51:
- Getting down with a bunch of old friends.
- It's Friday, Friday / Gotta get down on Friday / Everybody's lookin' forward to the weekend, weekend2011, “Friday”, performed by Rebecca Black ft. Patrice Wilson:
7
Informal To dance, particularly without inhibition or restraint, or in a sexually suggestive manner.
8
Informal To party.
- She's always willing to get down with him.
- And women will not care if Dick finally got down with Jane on Search for Tomorrow1971, Gil Scott-Heron, “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised”:
2 more examples
- Oh, do a little dance / Make a little love / Get down tonight, get down tonight1975, “Get Down Tonight”, performed by KC and the Sunshine Band:
- You get naked, honey, I'll get down / I'm gonna chase you around1978, “Dirty Weekend”, in Blondes Have More Fun, performed by Rod Stewart:
11
To record, most often in writing.
- Quick, here's a pen, get this down will you, before I forget.
- They got the whole song down in an hour.
1 more example
- "Get this down, lad," he said, with a note of sharp authority that admitted no discussion. "You have a bit o' paper and a pencil, haven't you? 'C-a-r-r—'"1934, Ernest Bramah, The Bravo of London:
12
To criticise; to be strict towards.
- Ann is always getting down on these students.
- I've got this process down.
16
Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see get, down.
- Derived terms
- get down to brass tacks